Redemption Climb

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Step One

The hardest step most of all. Step one: Especially in risk situations.

Step two: always follows step one with a trip up; Step three often might be a fall.

Always, though, remember steps four and five strive upward.

After falling it's only looking down to that learning experience that gets life by.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Catching up with this blog has been the never ending task. Just as many never ending tasks begin and then get set carefully side by side. Waiting for me to come back to them, slowly, I trudge along. Trying not to overload, be overloaded, or swamped over by any bit in my surroundings known as containment. My words twist themselves from my brain, down my arms, into my wrists, through my fingertips, and SPLOOGE! PLOP! KRRRPLUNK! The Keyboard.

I put these tasks side by side, ordered sentimentally chronological (to the best of my intentions), mostly advised by my surroundings. My surroundings do not forecast a certain task to complete at a certain moment, I say, "Kaflewy" and deal with it!

Kilimanjaro has helped me. Mother nature herself helped me weed out my life essentially of what I love, like, and lack. Kilimanjaro just kicked me in the pants and said, "HURRY UP!"

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Critters

Every trip you go on brings new adventure, and with these adventures come critters. My African sister Ann and I discovered the revolting presence compelled by this female cheetah. She had no name, which I will name her now Melificent. Yes, after the evil queen in Sleeping Beauty... Her energy was just that striking! As she gnawed on her meat!! What a great honor it was to join Ann in these experiences. Thank-You again to all of my supporters.

* Billy Bones * One-3-4-5 Apparel * Funky Tang's Music

* Abicus * Out of the Bluez Botique * Glass Blower's Botique

* JET Nightclub * Passions Lingerie * Tiki Beach Bar

* Cayman Taffy Company * Lilly Store * Dairy Queen

* Island Ink Tattoo * Sports Supply * KPMG

* AL Thompsan's * International Travel * Frisbee Fiends

* Cayman 27 News * LIME * Cayman Distributors

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI

Thank you all!

Extra special thanks to my mom, Lori Thiel, who has inspired me to be such a shining lady striving every day to make the world more peaceful!

Farmanator

These moments I had on in Tanzania, looking back, really remind me...

The good ole' Wisconsin Cows

Grazing through breakfast...

Close to heart

Finding a nice hole in the ground shortly after grazing...

Heart closed

Not much business this year, only business is business

Business was usual, is usual, always usual...

Holes in the ground, ground with the holes...

Don't Cha Know?

Would you like that toasted?? ( ha ha, Nick! )

The BIG One

Stella Point, the point of no return. Why do they call this moment Stella Point? I for some reason was thinking, it might be named after the Belgium wheat beer Stella Artois. Someone may have woken up with a killer hang over, then climbed Kili, then said, "Ahh! This point, this is Stella, my hangover!" (ha ha ha)

The big Kahuna, el Nino, el Chupacabra, the Greatness!! WHO IS IT?

After climbing six hours in sheer night we reached Stella Point. About 18,885 ft (5,756 m) magnificently high above the clouds. Amazingly, mother nature feels imprisoning as short winded as I was. From Stella Point we found ourselves still 45 minutes from Uhuru Peak.

Waking up at base camp Barafu (#4) at 11:30pm, about 15,000ft high, we begin to
ascend Uhuru Peak (19,395ft). Around sunrise we reach Stella Point. The clouds silhouetting Mt. Meru, and the boxing stance of yours truly, barely standing.

Throughout the entire climb I was grooving- it was easy with the serene surroundings positively throwing vibes back all around. The guides who shared our Kilimanjaro journey were phenomenal. We all enjoyed a very unique experience, and one by one summited at 7:00am, October 5th, 2010.